The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-02-02
On fi,e Grand Rounds.

The newspapers say that Hon. James II.
Rice, Slate Superintendent of Education, Is
visiting the different counties, as the law di-
rects, "for the purpose Of inspecting tho
"schools, awakening an interest favorable to
"ihe cause of education, and diflusing rs
awdely as possible by public addresses. and
igeneral communication with school officers.
"teachers and parents, n knowledge of exist
..ing defects and of desirable Improvements in
"the government and instruction of said
"SchoOls.'
We are glad that Colonel Rice has taken
charge Of the office, and we are glad to see
him in the proper discharge of the duties of
that officer.
Heretofore the officers who held that Office
have, in our opinion, much neglected their
official duty. They have made but few visits
TO the people; but we are sure that there will
be no room for complaint of Colonel Rice.
That law, we believe, has been in existence
something like eighteen years, and. if we arc
not mistaken, in that time the State Superin-
fendent of Education has made one so-callcd
address, at Abbeville. The officer who made
the so-callcd address came to town, and in-
stead of putting up at the hotel where the
people could have seen him, he took the occa-
sion to make social call at the house of one
of our citizens, and there remained where he
could not be easily seen by the people. AT
night he talked of anything else than "awak-
''ening an interest favorable to the cause OF
"education." His address was largely made up
fulsome praise of some Of his hearers who
happened to be in the war with him, and in
tr. ing to make the people believe they were
not paying enough taxes. lie mover once ap-
pealed to their pride aud their manhood, to
make individual and personal effort 10 cdu-
cate their own children. He, like nearly c> =
cry assembly OF teachers, seemed to think the
all-important matter was to give the teacher
big salary. All the teachers institutes it
seems to Us, consider the question of teachers
salaries of first importance.
AS the people are taxed large amount to
support the schools We hope that Colonel Rice
will give 1t the benefit of his practical expert
ence. We know Of no one better qualified for
the work, and we are satisfied that his sense
Of duty will forbid him going on picnic eX
cursion, visiting personal friends and rcla
tivcs, while ostcnsibly dischargins the impor-
tant duties of his Office.
The people should be awakened to
the duty, the Importance, and the val.
ne of education, and We trust that Colonel
Rice may sec toit that the rich townspcople
do not absorb the public money to the injury
of the poor children in either the town or the
country. Heretofore the public fund has been
very good thing for the well-to-do towns
man, and it will be observed that the chief
supporters of an Ubiquitous school system
comes from town people. The country pco-
pile have long since learned that the So-callcd
free schools seldom do them any good. Colo
mel Rice will do Il public service if he will cor
rect the evils which have heretofore existed
and by so doing, he may to degree, restore an
unjust and iniquitous school system to some
thing worthy of public favor and public con-
1idcncp.